DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to Fox or the TV show House. I'm only borrowing some characters. The characters belong to David Shore and company.
A/N: You guys are just going to forgive me a bit after this chappie!
Well, that's what I think. Hopefully I'm right.
Sorry if you find medical stuff screw ups.
Thanks to the newly subscribed, and added me to their favorite stories/authors!
ANOTHER SHOT AT HAPPINESS
CHAPTER 9: RELIEF
PPTH
After the surgery, Wilson told Chase to prep House in ICU for rapid detoxification. Cuddy shook her head giving Chase no choice but to stay.
"Won't it be too much? I mean all these treatments just after his surgery?" She asked them sounding very skeptical.
"Well, even if the Ketamine works well for him, he'd still be an addict when he wakes up. I mean, you know the drugs affects his CNS. We have to take this shot now. Of course you know he'll be under observation all the time, and I'm willing to stand by him," Wilson finished.
"You think I'm not?" Cuddy replied a bit annoyed.
"That's not what I meant," Wilson defended.
"Dr. Cuddy, I think Wilson's right," chase nodded slowly, double checking the pros and cons.
Cuddy sighed and ran a hand across her forehead, "I'm sorry... it was just too much. I'm just tired, that's all."
Wilson just nodded, "I know. It's okay."
"How long do you think he'll be out? What with the post-op, the mild concussion, and the two treatments?" She said exasperated.
"A week or less? Hopefully not more than that. If it reaches a week I think we have to start worrying by then." Wilson said.
"I hope not."
"Dr. Cuddy, don't worry, we'll monitor his status very closely. I think you should just rest for a while. I'll go check on him again," with that Chase left and headed towards ICU and check on House.
"Cuddy turned to Wilson, "I hope the Ketamine treatment will last this time. It's his last shot."
"You and me both," Wilson said.
Cuddy led Wilson to her office since she didn't want to be so exposed. Wilson shut the blinds and locked the door so no one would see anything.
When Cuddy sat on the couch she immediately burst into tears, her emotions breaking out like a tidal wave. Her body shook with sobs. It was all too much. Just too much.
Wilson felt sorry for her. She had to see House get shot in front of her.
He just sat beside her and rubbed her back trying to soothe her. It only had little effect.
"Cuddy..." He started.
"He almost died Wilson. Again." she managed to say in between sobs.
"He's alive, he's upstairs, he'll be mocking you for crying over him in no time," Wilson tried to lighten the mood.
Cuddy chuckled. She finally stopped sobbing. Her tears were now subsiding, but not stopping all the way. Wilson handed her a box of Kleenex.
"You do know that the cops would want to have a statement from you and House? The guards from the mall called and told me they need to get in touch with you."
"I know. They'll just have to wait until he's all better."
Cuddy sighed deeply.
"What?" Wilson asked her with concern.
Cuddy turned to him and asked him, "Wanna know what happened?" Wilson nodded a bit hesitantly.
"I'll make it short, though," he nodded at this, "The man wanted my car, but I think when he saw me, I was a bonus for him. He wanted to rape me bu--"
Wilson was frantic! He started carefully checking her for bruises or cuts, "Did he--"
"No. House got to him before he managed to put his lips in any part of me," Cuddy started crying again sans the sobs.
Wilson sighed in relief, "Well, thank goodness."
"When House managed to buy some time he told me to get help or else we'll never make it out of there. I hesitated but he managed to talk me into it. After that I didn't know what happened to him while I was running to the entrance. All I heard was echoes of grunts, moans, and incoherent shouting," she said on a sniffle.
"Well, we've fixed everything but based on what I've seen on his physical exam, he had two broken ribs, we had to stitch a cut on his jaw, one gunshot wound, the one on his shoulder that the bullet just grazed, and that godawful bullet we retrieved from his abdomen which was luckily, as always, once again, lodged in his posterior rib, the other one, though," Wilson finished, running a hand on the back of his neck and sighed.
Cuddy groaned in frustration which caused Wilson to look at her in shock, he was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke.
"I can't believe that bastard! He saves me from being raped, I can't keep my mouth from answering in a 'duh' tone and the maniac points the gun at me and House took the bullet from me!"
She had no more tears to cry. Her well had gone dry.
"This wasn't your fault, Cuddy, it was just a random event." Wilson tried reassuring her again.
"He's up there and unconscious because of me," she said. She can't stop that damn guilt complex House knew she had.
"It wasn't your fault." Wilson told her firmly.
"He asked me if I was okay even when he was already having a hard time breathing," Cuddy was able to let out a few more tears after saying it.
"Shhh. Please stop crying. He cares for others in his own way, even when he doesn't show it. He even cares for you more than he does for me. We, i mean, the people who know him well enough, which God knows can be counted with two hands, know that he has a big problem with emotions," Wilson finished.
"I know," Cuddy then smiled which Wilson was happy to see but made him a bit worried for her mental state.
"Did you know when he was lying there gasping for breath he was able to take advantage of my emotions and asked me out again?" She ended with a laugh.
Wilson laughed with her and shook his head. "The man never ceases to amaze us. House is House."
"I know... Ughh!" she groaned again, "I just hate him and love him at the same time for what he did!"
Wilson's interest was sparked.
"Cuddy," he started in a cautious voice, "do you love House?" He asked.
Cuddy's face turned blank. 'Damn, she's as good as House with this thing.' Wilson thought.
"It's rather too early for that question, isn't it?" She asked.
"But you do love him?" He was pushing it.
Cuddy sighed, "I like him. I care for him. But love, it's too complicated to tell. I don't even know the answer to your question yet. But I can tell you that I love him as a friend."
Wilson smiled. "That's good enough for me."
"Please don't tell him! He'll have a field day with that type of information." Cuddy pleaded.
"Okay. Promise." Wilson said.
"I think you should go clean up before you check on him. I'll stay with him until you're done. Don't worry about the rumors, I'll try to punch in some false stuff they'll believe. They're just THAT gullible," Wilson smiled and winked at her then squeezed her shoulder and started to walk to the door.
He turned to her when she called out to him.
"Wilson,thank you. For everything," she said genuinely with a smile. Wilson nodded and headed to the ICU.
AFTER 8 DAYS
Cuddy was sitting on the chair situated on the side of House's hospital bed waiting for him to wake up.
They've started to worry since he was out for much too long. He'd gone through rapid detox successfully. His bruises were starting to dim down but not that much. They've removed the stitch from his jaw and his scruff was now too irritating for Cuddy to look at. She wanted to shave it off every time she looked at it. He looked better with the scruff he had on their date.
She was staring at the far end of the room when she felt someone was watching her. She diverted her gaze and was shocked to find her eyes locking on to his. But his baby blues were still a bit dazed.
Cuddy's eyes started welling up again and she rushed to his side and caressed his cheek, running her hands through his scruff. She can't help but smile seeing him finally awake.
Her face fell when he closed his eyes and didn't say anything.
"Hey," she started, "hey, can you hear me?"
It took a few seconds before he nodded.
She sighed in relief. She poured a glass of water for him and told him to drink.
When he opened his eyes again he was shocked to see her beside him. She looked like hell, but she was still beautiful in his eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like hell," he managed to croak out. It was still a bit hard for him to speak since he haven't used his ever active mouth for days. The events that occurred haven't even crossed his mind yet.
Cuddy chuckled.
He saw her tear-stained face and felt bad for causing them. He thought, once again, he's become a disappointment.
He wanted to say sorry but he wasn't that awake yet to make something out.
"You're crying. I'm not dead." He managed a grin.
"I'm not crying, I'm sleepy. You almost died." She told him in a silent whisper. She chuckled on the inside knowing that Wilson was right that he'd mock her for caring.
He didn't answer her.
"You're here," House changed the subject instead.
"You won't get rid of me that easily," Cuddy told him with a smile and she started caressing his cheek again. She was relieved when he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes. She smiled at this.
'Thank God he's awake,' she thought.
"I won't," he replied seriously.
She smiled widely at his declaration which caused her heart to do somersaults.
He then drifted off to a more peaceful sleep knowing that Cuddy would still be by his side. She always was, she always will be.
A/N: Am I forgiven now? Lol...
Just one more chapter about the success or failure of the Ketamine treatment and it'll be back to the snarky, fun, sweet, sarcastic, and downright sexual tension-filled bantering again. :)
You guys would like that, won't you?
Review, review, review!
I just realized you guys [US readers] were lucky June 21st. I managed to post two chapters. LOL... Thank God for time zones, huh?
